CycleDog: (n) 1. An all-weather bicyclist, often regarded as one very sick puppy with a bad attitude. 2. A ankle-biting poodle with a Mohawk. (l)Canis
familiaris cyclus

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

100 ideas

For those of you in Oklahoma, please be aware that the state is soliciting ideas. I've seen one that recommended lengthening the school day, one to make I-44 into a 6 lane highway across the state, and some truly goofy ones. Here's the website:

11 Comments:

Oh, sure, there's the easy stuff like signals that detect bicycles reliably, or building codes that mandate bicycle parking, but there have to be other, more obscure but more innovative ideas. Maybe I'll stick with the 100 Ideas as a recurring theme.

I'm biking alone with my butt at homeThinking of ideas till it hurtsI know you hurt too but what else can we doTormented and torn apartI wish I could carry your smile and my heartFor times when my life feels so lowIt would make me believe what tomorrow could bringWhen today doesn't really know, doesn't really know

Chorus:I 'm all out of ideas, I'm so lost without youI know you were right believing for so longI 'm all out of ideas, what am I without youI can't be too late to say that I was so wrong

I want you to come back and carry me homeAway from this long lonely nightsI'm reaching for you, are you feeling it tooDoes the feeling seem oh so rightAnd what would you say if I called on you nowAnd said that I can't hold onThere's no easy way, it gets harder each dayPlease love me or I'll be gone, I'll be gone

Chorus

Oh, what are you thinking of?What are you thinking of?Oh, what are you thinking of?What are you thinking of?

Here's one I've heard of: to encourage police enforcement of traffic code on cyclists, reduce the fine/punishment when the infraction is committed on bike. Many cops (well, outside of Tulsa, anyway) are reluctant to hassle cyclists because they don't think it's worthwhile to stop a biker from running a stop sign an inflict a $300 fine or whatever. A more reasonable fine like $20 or so makes cops less of a bad guy.

A bicycle-related violation in Tulsa, or for that matter, all of Oklahoma, will net you a $25 fine plus court costs. It's possible the court costs will be more than the fine. I don't know 'cause I haven't had a ticket for well over 20 years. Maybe Paul can help out with more recent information.

But what if the fines were more draconian, like those proposed in Virginia, where a traffic ticket can cost you $1000 or more? If running a red light could cost you a weeks pay, would you think twice about it?

Or what about the proliferation of traffic cameras like they have in the UK? They watch intersections and major highways for offenders. And since they've been implemented, traffic deaths in the UK have diminished by half. Do the benefits out weigh the loss of privacy? I'll admit being conflicted over this one.

Or how about something simple, like bicycling education in the schools as a part of driver's ed? I'd rather a kid started learning some critical judgment skills from the seat of a bicycle long before he ever got behind the wheel of a car.

Something we've been discussing in Columbus is making a traffic law class (or a similar unit in a government/civics class) required in public schools, which would cover bikes, pedestrians, transit, personal automobiles, etc. Then drivers' education could consist of just operation and car-focused information. This way, every student would be taught the rules of the road, even the ones who don't take drivers' education.